The Bahamas’ legislature was forced to suspend its sitting of parliament on Wednesday, after a heated debate about a police corruption scandal escalated and a Member of Parliament threw the ceremonial Mace through a window.
The conflict arose when Speaker of the House, Patricia Deveaux, refused to allow Opposition Leader Michael Pintard to address allegations in a US indictment, accusing federal police of involvement in drug trafficking.
Shanendon Cartwright, the deputy leader of the opposition, was restrained by police and officials after he walked to the Speaker’s desk, grabbed the Mace — a symbol of parliamentary authority — and threw it out of a window.
Police officers reacted quickly, arresting the MP responsible and two others involved in the disturbance.
Deveaux told parliament that during the scuffle the deputy speaker was struck and taken to hospital, while a police officer suffered a leg injury.
Prime Minister Davis described the incident as a “disgrace” and left the Assembly shortly after the commotion began.
In 1965, the leader of the opposition threw the mace out a window in a push for electoral change, in an event dubbed “Black Tuesday”.
